SAFARI OVERVIEW

This traditional wildlife safari to Grumeti River in the western corridor of the Serengeti takes advantage of the great migration when the area is bursting with wildlife, including nomadic predators from other drier parts of the Serengeti visiting this popular area to ensure their own survival.

SAFARI ITINERARY

DAY 1: MEET AND GREET

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where we will be waiting to meet you once you have cleared customs and transfer to your accomodation, where you will enjoy a wonderful dinner and a superb night’s rest and relaxation. This is your chance to really soak up the atmosphere and recharge the batteries for what lies ahead.

Dinner & overnight at Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge OR Similar

DAY 2: A GAME VIEWING AT LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast at the lodge, you will meet your guide for a short briefing then drive south of Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park. You have the option to visit the culturally-diverse village of Mto wa Mbu set on the banks of the river of the same name, for first-hand look at tribal life in the African bush.

We then check into Lake Manyara National Park where a picnic lunch is served at the Msasa picnic site, offering fabulous view of the lake. This is followed by afternoon wildlife viewing in the park, with its diverse flora and fauna, including some 350 bird species. The park also provides sanctuary to a variety of animals like the gazelle, impala, buffalo, wildebeest, hyena, baboon, giraffe, hippo and the famous tree-climbing lions. Late afternoon we head off to the Ngorongoro highlands.

Dinner & overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge OR Similar

DAY 3: EXPLORING THE FLOURISHING BASIN OF NGORONGORO CRATER

After an early breakfast, we take our picnic lunch aboard the vehicles and descend into the crater to explore this distinctive eco-system. Enjoy abundant wildlife viewing set against the impressive backdrop of the Ngorongoro Crater, the heart of this conservation area. These drives provide one of the best opportunities in Africa to view black rhino, which tend to spend their time on the crater floor.

Another big draw is the dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, and the small cats like the rare caracal, as well as the African wild cat which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. After a picnic lunch, another wildlife viewing drive will take you to visit the hippo pool near the Mandusi Swamp, Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner which is one of the main features of the crater, the lerai forest as well as other parts of the crater.

Meals & overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge OR Similar

DAY 4 & 5: EXPLORING CENTRAL AND EASTERN PLAIN OF SERENGETI

After breakfast, visit the oldupai Gorge en route to the Eastern plain of Serengeti. Olduvai is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world. Known as the cradle of mankind, the gorge stretches for nearly 50 km from Ndutu to the Olbalbal depressions. The Leakey’s are the Archeologists responsible for most of the excavations and discoveries at Olduvai Gorge.

They unearthed about 60 different hominid remains dating back from 2 million years ago to 17,000 years ago. The remains of about 7,000 extinct animal species have also been unearthed and molds of some of these artifacts can be seen in the small on-site museum. Continue drive to Serengeti with game viewing en-route and arrive at your Camp for lunch where you will spend your next two days exploring the vast Serengeti and its endless plains.

+The drive through the central Serengeti in the golden light of dawn looking for special wildlife interactions where, you will explore different areas of the central Serengeti. Areas that will be visited are the Retima Hippo pool, maasai and Sametu Kopjes and plains as well as Moru and Simba Kopjes.

The Seronera River valley is home to a great diversity of wildlife due to its unique ecological niches as a transition zone where two distinctly different habitats, the plain and the woodlands merge and various species of wildlife from both habitats can coexist.

Meals & overnight at Sametu Tented Camp OR Similar

DAY 6 & 7: EXPLORING THE WESTERN SERENGETI AND GRUMETI RIVER

After as leisurely breakfast at the camp, enjoy a scenic drive to the western corridor of the Serengeti and the famous Grumeti River.

At this time of year the region is bursting with wildlife thanks to the great migration, and many visiting predators from other drier part of the Serengeti stealthily make their way into to the area to ensure their own survival.

There is a very good chance you will see the great migration of wildebeest crossing the Grumeti River. The herds must outsmart the crocodiles and fast flowing water before facing predators waiting on the other side and it is simply an amazing spectacle.

Dinner & overnight at Lahia Tented Lodge OR Similar

DAY 8: BUSH FLIGHT AND DEPARTURE

Early breakfast at the camp and then leave the camp for Grumeti Airstrip with wildlife drive en-route. Bush flight from Grumeti to Arusha. Stop at cultural heritage site for lunch and optional shopping, and then drive to Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge for a day room. You will have an early dinner at the lodge before driving to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight back home.